Multi-Link ACK Reporting Using Phase-Shift Failure Indication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing acknowledgment reporting for multi-link transmissions, particularly in scenarios requiring high reliability and low latency, leading to increased signaling overhead and interference.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for wireless communications that utilize a phase shift in acknowledgment feedback messages to implicitly indicate the success or failure of individual downlink signals within a combined signal, reducing the need for explicit feedback on each link and minimizing interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple uplink channels are multiplexed on a single uplink connection, then resource utilization is improved, but determining the correct acknowledgment report channel becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidchannel determination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple uplink connections with distinct properties (different QoS parameters, data rates, or channel characteristics) before multiplexing downlink channels. This allows the receiving device to预先 establish clear mapping relationships between downlink channels and uplink acknowledgment channels, resolving the channel determination difficulty while maintaining high resource utilization through multiplexing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If uplink connections are established for each downlink connection, then acknowledgment accuracy is improved, but resource waste occurs due to multiple simultaneous connections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacknowledgment accuracyVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple downlink connections that share common characteristics (such as same QoS requirements, similar data rates, or compatible channel properties) into a single uplink connection for acknowledgment reporting. This consolidation reduces the total number of uplink connections needed, decreasing resource consumption while maintaining acknowledgment accuracy through proper channel mapping and identification mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4097886B1Acknowledgment reporting for multi-link transmissions
Publication Date: 2026.05.20 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4097886B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4097886B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP4097886B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may transmit acknowledgment feedback for a combined signal derived from individual downlink signals received on respective radio links, where the acknowledgment feedback is transmitted with a phase shift applied to the transmission. In some cases, the phase shift may indicate which individual downlink signals were unsuccessfully received and decoded on the respective radio links. For example, the acknowledgment feedback message may include acknowledgment feedback for a final decoding of the combined signal on whether the combined signal is successfully received and decoded and side negative acknowledgment information indicating which individual radio links were unsuccessfully received and decoded via the phase shift. The UE may transmit the acknowledgment feedback on a strongest radio link, a subset of the radio links, or on all of the radio links.